Before he was biting his trophies, the Nadal family wasn’t sure if young Rafa would follow in the footsteps of his uncle and pro tennis player Toni Nadal, or the footsteps of his uncle and prof footballer Miguel Angel Nadal. Luckily for tennis fans Rafa chose tennis - and his tough-love Uncle Toni as Coach. His family never downplayed the importance of education though, and they kept young Rafa close at home in Mallorca for training, where they could ensure his academic performance did not slip as his tennis skills strengthened. Clearly the decision did not hinder him. By age 19, Rafa had reached round 3 at Wimbledon, and reigned champion at Roland Garros.